What is Wisdom?

This morning, I read the following reflection on Psalm 37 in Give Us This Day  and thought I would like to share it with you, my friends:

"What then is wisdom?  It is concerned that life should have meaning, have a part in what endures.  Wisdom takes care that in the end a man should not stand empty-handed.  It is based upon the gift of distinguishing what is valuable and what is cheap, what endures and what passes, what is genuine and what is specious...

    But if we ask, "What then shall I do?  Wisdom, counsel me!" then wisdom replies, " You must learn to dstinguish.  You must bring into your life things that are of divine character, things that do not merely pile up or excite, but have value."

    And what has value? Wisdom replies, "the good!" When we have a duty, even though it is unpleasant, the situation changes, the action is past, but something remains: the good has been done.  This has divine character.

    Or if I act kindly towards a person, whom perhaps I do not like, try to understand him, help him-in this fulfillment of the divine command something takes place which remains...

    So we might speak of many things-also of this-ad it would not be unimportant-that it is a part of wisdom to be careful of one's own wisdom.  It is a virtue which is easily spoiled. If one is too conscious of it, or emphasizes it, then wisdom itself becomes folly, and a greater than that which it sought to overcome. "

Fr. Romano Guardini, The Wisdom of the Psalms

Comments

[Sharon O]

I really like this, it is something I will be reading more than once, thank you for sharing it.